Largest Freshwater Lake in China (2024)

Poyang Lake lies in the north of Jiangxi Province and the south bank of Yangtze River. It is known as the largest fresh water lake in China, as well as the second largest lake in the country, only second to Qinghai Lake. The lake area extends across Nanchang, Xinjian, Jinxian, Yugan, Boyang, Duchang, Hukou Jiujiang, Xingzi, and De’an, Yongxiu and other cities and counties in China. 70% of water area is in the territory of Jiujiang City, 20% in the territory of Shangrao City, 10% in Nanchang. The whole Poyang Lake system covers a basin area of 0.16 million km², occupying 9% of Yangtze River basin area. Due to its seasonal characteristic, it shows a distinct picture that it is a lake while inflowing water is adequate; but a stream while inflowing water scarce.

Poyang Lake is the mother lake of Jiangxi Province. It features not only a large amount of biological resources as well as fresh water, but also fosters about 10 million population nearby around the Lake. It acts a significant role in the overall development strategy. And it is one of the top ten ecological function-protected areas, and a world's major ecological region delimited by WWF.

Poyang Lake is rich in biological resources. It has over 90 kinds of fishes, like white fish, carp, Elopichthys bambusa, grass carp, bighead carp, etc...; all these are valuable. 102 types of aquatic plant, affiliating with 38 families; over 280 types of bird, split up into 12 genera of 51 families, among which water bird offers 115 species, accounting for approximately 51% of 225 species of water bird of the Nation as a whole.

Marvelous mountains as well as fantastic islands are available almost everywhere all-around Poyang Lake. Mt. Shizhongshan as well as Mt. Dagushan in Hukou County, Mt. Nanshan as well as Laoyemiao Shrine in Douchang County and Mt. Luoxingdun in Xingzi County tend to be interesting places of interest. All of these scenic areas are usually linked to form a tourist route through cruisers, within the efforts of Jiujiang Tourism all-sidedly, struggle hard in order to turn Jingdezhen into a wealthy, civilized modernized mountains as well as rivers ecological garden city.

【Poyang Lake Bird Protection Area】
This area is really a sanctuary for several uncommon species of birds. Every November, a large number of birds fly in from Siberia, Mongolia, Japan, the northeastern as well as northwestern regions of China, etc.. These migratory birds spend the very long winter here along with the native widgeons, egrets, as well as mandarin ducks, leaving slowly since the climate begins to warm in March. This area is regarded to be the largest bird sanctuary in the world.

【Fallen-Star Rock】
It is found on the bank of Poyang Lake. Actually, this is a little rock island which appears like a star floating on the surface of the water, as it rises and falls along with the water level in the lake. Even though Fallen-Star Rock is actually a tiny place, it is popular as a meeting place for scholars, men of letters who met here during several dynasties, giving Fallen-Star Rock a strong cultural heritage.

The site that allows you to get a grand sight of the lake is in Nanjishan Nature Reserve near to Nanji Town. It is reached by public bus, and the entrance fee is free.

Speaking of the lake view, in Poyang County area can see the best scenery of it. Starting from Nanchang, most visitors choose to tour the lake Poyang Lake National Wetland Park in Poyang County, which is the largest wetland in Asia, and also the best area to see Poyang Lake.

Hanpokou on Lushan Mountain is also one of the best sites to see Poyang Lake, where you can overlook the lake. The scenery here is spectacular and worth a visit. Or you may go to Xingzi County or Hukou County in Jiujiang after Lushan Mountain Tour. The two counties are good choices to get a close look of the lake. .

In addition, if you are a cycling enthusiast, you may choose to visit the lake by cycling around. But it takes about 5 days to have a round trip of the lake by cycling.

The best time to visit Poyang Lake is from mid-November to early March next year, when extends across the late autumn to late winter. During this time period, there are hundreds of thousands of migratory birds from Siberian area of Russia, Mongolia, Japan, Korea, as well as northwestern and northeastern area of China and other places, to spend their winter here. There are 300 kinds of and the number of nearly one million birds living in the protected area, including white crane and other kinds of rare birds. So Poyang Lake is also called "Crane World" and "Kingdom of Rare Birds."

If come in summer, the view is just fine. Poyang Lake has high flow season and dry season. high flow season, the whole lake looks a mighty ocean with a vast expanse of water. In dry season, you can see large tracts of beach water, lush reeds, wild grasses and migratory birds. The scenery is very beautiful.